Elkhart hopes to spur development of 110-acre medical office park at 17 and 20

The Elkhart Redevelopment Commission passed a declaratory resolution during a special meeting Tuesday that will ultimately allow the city to offer economic incentives for private development of 110 acres on the east side of C.R. 17, between Middlebury Street and U.S. 20. The city's development plan for the corridor aims to support the installation of a medical facility center, according to a copy of the plan provided after the meeting.

The center would include cancer treatment facilities and college-level medical profession courses such as dental and nursing assistants, along with rehab centers, patient housing, pharmacies, medical offices and related services, the plan states. The plan will also incentivize other industry or professional park uses of the land and attract specialized services and users to help diversify the local economy.

Crystal Welsh, city Development Services manager, remarked after the meeting that it's a great parcel of land but some economic barriers have kept development at bay. She said preliminary plans for a medical office facility on what's known as the Parkwel property go back to at least 2008.